1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet discharging apparatus and, more specifically, to a device for discharging sheets one by one from the bottom of a stack of sheets.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A device of this kind, in which the support surface for a stack of sheets has a downward bent shape transverse to the direction of sheet transport, is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,853. In this known device, since air is blown to the side of the stack in the vicinity of the deepened part of the support, while at the same time the bottom sheet is sucked against the support, an air layer forms between the sheet and the stack thereabove and the stack is lifted from the bottom sheet, so that the friction between the bottom sheet and the rest of the stack is reduced. The bottom sheet can be transported as a result. Although a reasonably good separation of the bottom sheet from the rest of the stack is achieved with this device, generally it has been found in practice that separation and transport may be disturbed if the stacks of sheets used have very different stack weights and stack heights, if sheets with different degrees of stiffness are used, and with sheets which are very curled or have deformations, for example due to stapling or perforation.